A couple weeks ago the Chiefs did their draft for 2022. I never look at the post-draft "grades" pundits across the galaxy give teams because they always just make me mad. Either we get high grades then the players generally suck, or we get low grades and those players still suck.
I did see, however, that the Chiefs draft got generally rave reviews, and when peeking at bit at the reasons I could see why our draft ranked so high. The main reason I'll get to in a moment, but first...
A while back I'd implored Veach et al in my blog -- not that they'd read this but still -- to draft defense like madmen. I dunno, maybe they did read me! Awesome, because they did get D. Outstanding. Karlaftis is that edge we so needed and if he comes through then Veach did his job. He did pick up Chris Jones to make up for the Breeland Speaks disaster, so hopefully that insight will keep paying off for us.
We also got a nice haul of D-backs, with an emphasis on the physical defensive playmaking. Hopefully this will help force their QB into holding the ball a bit longer for our pass rushers to make the play. We also got a nice linebacker, Leo Chenel, with a rep for physical ferocity to compliment Bolton and Gay.
Excellent.
Thing is, any draft even one as promising as this one can only be most accurately evaluated after the players have been three years in the league, at a time when we can look at their current impact and future promise from that point. It is really nice to project splendidly wonderful things for a spiffy draft class, but these kids have to learn the NFL game and Andy Reid's playbook. It takes a while.
So yeah, real quick before expanding more on the Chiefs for 2022, who was in that 2019 draft class? This is the one, really, the one from three years before that should really be the foundation of any team. Sure there are other players from other years that are essential (remember the one guy from the 2017 draft? Nkay...)
Here it is, in the order of the picks with commentary:
WR Mecole Hardman - He's a keeper and a player that gets way too much disrespect in the Chiefs punditsphere. Yes, I confess I have had to get over my still-a-bit-simmering disappointment that we could have had DK Metcalf instead, I'm still great with Hardman's contribution and potential.
S Juan Thornhill - Sadly I can't say I believe he'll overcome the ACL from end of his rookie year. Before that he was stellar. After that he's barely been average. It is why we signed a veteran safety in Justin Reid and picked up a decent looking strong-safety type dude in the draft.
DT Khalen Saunders - Buried in the depth chart, don't know how much he's in the Chiefs plans.
CB Rashad Fenton - The Chiefs are high on this guy, expect him to contribute, and has at times delivered as a role player. I've always liked him as we've watched him improve, let's see if this year he shows he's regularly playing at that NFL level.
RB Darwin Thompson - Shipped off to somewhere else.
OT Nick Allegretti - When filling in he's exceeded expectations and makes for a solid backup on the O-line.
So we've got three, maybe four solid players if Thornhill can progress, from that draft truly contributing? That's a good draft, really. Not great but a good one, especially considering we didn't have a pick until No. 56. What is the grade from that draft pro football pundits? That's when the grades should be handed down. Yes we are all excited about what people think about this draft, but again, it just doesn't matter until we see what these guys have done to get to three-year quality NFL play, and where they fit into the team's plans for sustaining Chiefs football excellence into the subsequent two or three years.
Taking all the recent drafts and where the team is now I think we can confidently say the best thing about this Chiefs team is the work Brett Veach and his staff have done. It is truly phenomenal. Everyone screeched about the Tyreek Hill trade, but please. It has worked wonderfully. Hill may be awesome for the Dolphins, we all wish him the best as long as it isn't at the expense of the Chiefs.
Otherwise, Veach's trade allowed us the cap room to sign veterans RB Ronald Jones from the Bucs, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster from the Steelers, and WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling from the Packers. That's a haul right there. But then we got three more draft picks this year (and I believe two next year) for Hill to flesh out our roster with promising young studs. In the later rounds of the draft we snatched up a couple more cornerbacks -- let's see what they can do. We also grabbed the fastest running back in the class -- how'd that happen?
Probably the most stunning development was after the draft we went hard and heavy after a player no one else seemed to want -- Justyn Ross, who was a baller at Clemson a couple years ago and a considered top-ten overall draft prospect before injuries scared teams away. Can you imagine what the Chiefs will look like if he stays healthy and regains any of his early college playing form?
Often you hear teams facing a drafting choice of "Best player available?" or "Player to fill a need?" I don't know how he does it, but Veach seems simply to do both, have you noticed that? Somehow, someway, Veach got the WRs he wants, but he was also able to go bananas getting those players who should contribute mightily on defense.
See, I just think Veach knows about a truth I've been sharing in this blog for eons. It is simple. For the 57th time.
NFLers still really don't want Chiefs to win.
It is great that the other teams in the AFC West have stocked their rosters with better players, with an almost maniacal ferocity. The Broncos traded for Russell Wilson to be their QB. The Raiders gave up the farm to get the Packers super WR Davonte Adams. It is terrific that the schedulers gave the Chiefs their first eight games against winning teams from last year -- a first in NFL history. It is even better when the position ranking pundits regularly tell us that Patrick Mahomes has regressed and is now, something like the sixth or seventh best quarterback in the league.
All of this just inspires the Veach crew to work that much harder because the Kingdom is always under assault by the NFLers. They have to. They're definitely up against it in more ways than a few.
So yeah, check back in three years, and let's see what this draft has brought us.
It does look pretty good for now, and it is a lot of fun to continue to have the highest hopes for the Chiefs Kingdom.
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